Posts Tagged ‘sustainable development’

I was offered the opportunity to participate in an Ontario Power Authority initiative – Giibimidowing Gidakiiminaan – Keeping, Respecting & Caring For Our Land Treaty #3 Conference – August 21 – 23, 2012 in Kenora, Ontario at which I jumped readily. It was my opportunity to motivate, encourage & talk about possibilities – in renewables, but even beyond.

My dealings with First Nations, in the past, have taught me that I am but a stranger, an outsider to them. How would I know anything about who they are or how they live? Perception & reality are significantly different in my books. However, I always make it a point to speak from the heart and this opportunity was no exception.

So off I flew to Thunder Bay where I met some of the other speakers and together we set off by car to Kenora, Ontario.

Trees, grass, water. Clean air. True blue skies. Not like the haze many have grown to become accustomed to in the Greater Toronto Area.

Sunset in Kenora, Ontario – beautiful, priceless

However, this area is not without its environmental – economical – technological – societal problems, quite the contrary. Another type of unhealthy haze has been inflicted, and it is one that separates us huge concentration of southerners from the realities & truths of those living in the true north (which people in Kenora laugh and say they consider themselves in the south of the the north!).

“Treaty 3 was an agreement entered into on October 3, 1873, by the Ojibway Nation and Queen Victoria. The treaty ceded a vast tract of Ojibway territory, including large parts of what is now northwestern Ontario and a small part of eastern Manitoba, to the Government of Canada. Treaty 3 also provided for rights for the Métis and other Ojibway, through a series of adhesions signed over the next year.

It was the third in a series of eleven numbered treaties between the Crown and North American First Nations. Despite being the third of these treaties it is in fact more historically significant in that its text and terms served as the model for the remainder of the numbered treaties. Treaties 1 and 2 covered an area about the same size and in fact had to be amended to reflect some of the developments arising out of the negotiation of Treaty 3. At the time that it was negotiated it was anticipated that the terms of Treaty 3 would serve as a model for future treaties and would require the amendment of Treaties 1 and 2 [Letter from Minister of the Interior Campbell to Lieutenant-Governor Morris, 5 August 1873, Public Archives of Canada (“PAC”), RG10, vol. 1904].

Treaty 3 has particular historical significance because of the litigation that ensued between the Crown in Right of Ontario and the Crown in Right of Canada over the significance of the treaty and the respective roles of Canada and the provinces in relation to aboriginal peoples. The first of these cases is the St. Catharines Milling v. The Queen [(1888), 14 App. Cas. 65 (P.C.)] which dealt with the question of the ownership of lands subject to a treaty (a question that was decided in favour of the Province). The second, A.G. (Canada) v. A.G. (Ontario), [(1910) A.C. (P.C.)], dealt with the question of whether or not Ontario had to indemnify Canada for the expenses incurred in negotiating the treaty and the ongoing costs of fulfilling the treaty obligations. Canada lost this case as well with the Supreme Court of Canada and the Privy Council holding that Canada was responsible for Indian affairs and the welfare of Indians and that the treaty had been negotiated to achieve broad national purposes (such as the building of the transcontinental railway) rather than to benefit Ontario. The significance of these decisions is still a matter of discussion in the Canadian courts.

Treaty 3 is also significant as there exists a written record of the native peoples understanding of the treaty. This is known as the Paypom document. It is a series of notes that were written for Chief Powassin during the treaty negotiations, and documents the promises that were made to the First Nations people. The promises in the Paypom document differ in a number of ways from the printed version available from the Canadian government.” – wikipedia

As a result, First Nations has no trust in outsiders and their talk about this and about that. Not just with this treaty, but with a number of ‘agreements’ and/or ‘contracts’ and/or ‘initiatives’, many First Nations takes the stance that others don’t live up to their end of the ‘bargains’. This is not to say there are no First Nations people who develop trust or ally themselves with others, however, they do with much caution. In either case, I don’t blame them.

Making a long story short, I spoke my presentation from the heart and managed to connect with many, like Willy – a 74 year old elder, who has been attending all kinds of meetings and gatherings about the community, “… since 1981.” he said.

“I’m not afraid of progress. But. There is a right way and a wrong way of doing it.” he almost whispered at me, as his aged wise eyes looked at me, the breeze blowing about his straw coloured, long hair.

Willy, an Elder from Treaty #3 has been attending community meetings since 1981.

First Nations Treaty #3 has a number of issues that are affecting their communities, and in no small manner.

3 hydro electric dams stand at the centre of much controversy. First Nations describe how the frogs have disappeared. No longer do the sturgeon grow. In September of 2011, Grand Council Treaty #3 filed an application for judicial review. Respondents are the Province of Ontario as represented by the Ontario Ministry of Energy and the Ontario Power Authority (OPA). The main issue at the centre of this review is the Respondents failure to perform their “duty to consult” in good faith with First Nations.

“… the Ontario Energy Minister’s direction to the OPA to develop the Hydroelectric Contract Initiative (HCI) without Aboriginal consultation. In question is the OPA’s development and implementation of the HCI, the decision by OPA to enter into an HCI contract for existing hydroelectric generating facilities (Calm Lake, Sturgeon Falls, Fort Frances, Kenora, and Norman) in Treaty 3 territory with ACH Limited Partnership (ACH). As of May 2011, these dams are owned by Calgary based BluEarth Renewables Inc.” – GCT3 (Please read here for full text)

Sounds as though, once again, people are not living up to their ends of ‘bargains’ … and so the cycle continues.

How about the proposed ‘solution’ of dumping toxic nuclear waste into the communities up there? (Click here for full text of story.) Nuclear Waste Management was on the agenda for the discussions as well. Their displays, which likely cost thousands and thousands of dollars, took a whole day to put up, I watched it. They were complicated, showed large pictures of business people and were overwhelming, even for me.

In no way is this an effective way of communicating to First Nations … and again, the cycle continues.

There’s more.

In December of 2011, Treaty #3 launched an education lawsuit against the federal government – the reason? ” … a breach of their treaty right to education.”

Inexperienced teachers & disintegrating schools. Yes, it’s real and not fixed, even if Mike Holmes has drawn attention to the appalling living conditions, as he did in his December 2011 CBC article entitled, “Stop building junk on reserves.”

And if that doesn’t get you, let’s just go deeper down the rabbit hole and talk about how shocking Pikangikum truly is.

If you have never heard of this place, you need to.

In 2000, this First Nation was given the horrible and terribly sad title of, “Highest Suicide Rate in the WORLD” (I used wikipedia as a reference, but that info is not complete & certainly paints a picture leaning toward female inhalant abuse. It’s way more than that, affecting all.) And, it hasn’t stopped.

In fact, this area is especially worse than ever.

I met a local from the area who shall remain nameless, due to the sensitivity of this information.

In March of 2012, MacLean’s published a story called, “Living and dying in Pikangikum.” While it does speak to the horrors of life up in the area, it surely isn’t giving up the whole picture.

Picture a home, barely a structure, empty. No beds, no appliances, nothing. A First Nations woman, standing in the middle of it, with utter desperation in her eyes.

Where to get another $500.00 together for just one more tab of Oxycontin.

Yes, comfortable ladies and gentlemen, reading this online, having encountered this sad article somehow through the internet because you are able to.

One tab of Oxy goes for $500.00, usually split into 4 – so 1/4 tab per person at $125.00.

How about a mickey? A mickey of alcohol is $250.00.

Who controls all this? I won’t write it out loud, but they surely are not angels.

We should all be ashamed of ourselves, allowing such injustices to continue to First Nations. In fact, one of the Elders, a ‘Grandma’ said,

“First it was smallpox. Now this. Why not just give them smallpox and be done with it.”

It is not right to have our eyes shut for us to this, or for us to shut our eyes to it ourselves.

So, if you didn’t know about all this, dig deep.

Go even deeper and talk to First Nations. What? You can’t or don’t know how to? That’s bull. Keeping us separate is an excellent way to keep the cycle of abuse going. I have and no, I don’t always believe everything … whether it’s from the government or from First Nations. But I have observed this now myself having been there and there is no denying that while technology can most definitely be used to improve the quality of all of our lives, it has also become apparent that it can also create great problems that cannot be swept under the rug: it’s as simple as having the power to transport in drugs and alcohol to remote locations and turn viable people into zombies walking around ghost towns, as some really evil people are capitalizing on the genocide of a people.

But don’t believe me. As I said, go find out for yourself. And if you do not find this sad, shocking, angering, then perhaps all is lost and we live in a soul-less, money loving people filled country.

I hope that some of you reading this can connect even more dots in between with the mind-bending and twisted way some of our communities are merely being given perceptions, words & stories that makes the “jobs & prosperity” buzz over resources & technologies sound so great.

If we have such wonderful communication technologies, how come we seem to have difficulty in communicating, educating, negotiating & consulting with First Nations? If guns kill people, spoons are making Harper fat.

It is also my hope that heartfull, responsible people will step-up and champion the introduction of new ways that are right, to the benefit of our communities and the children of our future.

Improve the Canadian and European-Union trade agreement to better protect the environment, says Canadian Environmental Law Association

TORONTO, Oct. 14, 2011 /CNW/ -Today, the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) published a report about the negative environmental effects that could result from the Canadian and European-Union trade agreement, currently in its final stages of negotiations. The proposed trade agreement is the most comprehensive trade agreement to which Canada has ever been a party. It is set to be negotiated in Ottawa from October 17 – 21; its 10th and likely final round. According to CELA’s report, if major drafting changes are not made, the ability of government, both national and local, to enact public interest environmental measures could be compromised.

TOP 10 REASONS WHY CETA IS BAD

Theresa McClenaghan, CELA’s Executive Director, says “it is critical that trade agreements to which Canada is a party are carefully drafted so that public interest environmental laws are protected. Otherwise, economic arguments can be used against enacting or enforcing strong environmental laws.”

Some of the most controversial elements potentially proposed for the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) include the unprecedented liberalization of essential public services, such as water, and the inclusion of a controversial investor-state dispute settlement clause. The narrow definition of ‘environmental laws’ and narrow exceptions for those ‘environmental laws’ from stringent liberalization provisions are also of concern. All of these proposals would restrict national and sub-national levels of Canadian government from enacting environmental laws in the public interest.

CETA is only the second time in Canadian history where parties to a trade agreement include provinces, and the first time that municipalities are bound. These cause CELA further concern because CETA, as presently drafted, will open up local regulations and policies of provinces and municipalities to direct competition and challenge from European corporations.

CETA’s impact on future economic, social, and environmental development in Canada and the EU will be considerable. For these reasons, the Canadian Environmental Law Association’s report insists that this agreement presents a critical opportunity for the inclusion of clear and strong environmental safeguards to ensure sustainable economic development in Canada and improve on environmental standards established in pre-existing trade agreements.

Had a discussion with a local roofer & scrapper from the Niagara Falls area.

The first thing he told me when he found out I am a sustainability consultant is that used roofing shingles in this area are simply buried in the landfill.

No recycle. No program. Nothing.

Since my focus recently has been looking at legislation & impacts of it across not only Ontario and Canada, but pretty much the entire globe, that I sometimes tend to forget about my own backyard.

I simply cannot overlook and ignore what this local small business owner had to say.

So this is where my daily study on simply one product, used roofing shingles and their disposal procedures in Niagara (& Ontario) begins. The vision at the end of the day is to have secured some type of logical procedure to recycle & clean-up that which has already been compromised, namely the Walker Industries landfill here in Niagara Falls.

My discussion with this local roofer led me to his father, an 83 year old gentleman, who served on the Niagara Falls City Council and has been privy to much knowledge about the goings on in the environment of Niagara and Ontario. This very knowledgeable, experienced man has pointed to the watershed destruction & compromise that has occurred as a result of shingle burial (combined with other un-biodegradeable junk) at the landfill site, affecting the townships surrounding it. He spoke of having once approached the City to have an incineration technology put in to deal with it (a number of years ago) but that this had been dismissed.

IISD convenes meeting at WTO – international trade/investment laws

GENEVA—October 11, 2011—The International Institute for Sustainable Development has convened a one-day meeting of specialists from the climate change and the international trade law communities aimed at developing a better framework to address unilateral trade-related action on climate change, at the World Trade Organization headquarters in Geneva on Thursday.

“Several high profile measures have already sparked legal challenges in the WTO, a clear sign of things to come,” said IISD senior advisor and associate Aaron Cosbey.

The most prominent case is the action Japan has brought against Canada over Ontario’s Green Energy Act, which provides preferential incentives to green energy (solar and wind), but only if it uses components manufactured by local manufacturers. If Japan succeeds, it could mean lost jobs and a roadblock to Ontario’s ambitions to be a clean energy exporter.

“This is a major concern to all members of the WTO, as the uncertainty has stalled critical and urgent investments in clean energy infrastructure and other climate change-related investments,” said Cosbey.

Despite the urgency, Cosbey said it will still take years to establish a framework to deal with the complex issues. “This meeting is just the beginning, but the issues are so important we expect a lively and productive discussion at the very least.”

He said the aim is to foster greater international cooperation in an effort to keep investment flowing in the direction of initiatives that help countries develop the infrastructure needed for climate change adaptations and mitigation.

The meeting will also look at issues around border carbon adjustment, which pose serious challenges for international cooperation on trade and investment, as well as in the ongoing climate change negotiations.

Please see the agenda for a full list of presenters at the conference: Trade, Investment and Climate Change: Searching for Progress on Key Issues,on October 13, 2011.

One of Canadian Newswire’s headlines read: Ties Between UK & Canada Show Plenty of Potential.

It obviously points to the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy as clearly touted throughout the release, along with the interesting video attached as well. Go read and see it here, however, it pointed towards something else that seems to have surfaced in an underlying way.

A lean towards influencing students towards a future of ‘sustainable’ oil & gas. It’s no secret how the Feds want to double oil production in the next 10 years or so.

Feds want to double production. How can that be? POLICY. or (PC OILY)

The School of Public Policy website [indicated quite clearly in the background throughout the video] leads one to all the wonderful descriptions of enrolling and educating oneself to public policy and its intricacies and how to deal. But as you delve deeper into who’s behind it, it makes one wonder how these students will be taught, and what they will believe is “for the better of the public interest” policy.

“… coauthor of a book on the regulation of natural gas pipelines in Canada, a text in industrial organization …”

“co-author, or co-editor of a number of books, including Human Rights and Social Technology: The New War on Discrimination (with T. E. Flanagan), … Current projects include Courting Controversy, a book that explores the rhetorical strategies used by courts to manage highly contentious public issues.”

“published extensively on Metis lands, Louis Riel, Native land rights and self determination, game theory and on recent political movements in Canada (such as the Reform party and the Conservative rise to power)”

or how about this choice credit:

“on the Energy Strategy Advisory Committee for the Government of Alberta; as an advisor to the Government of Canada on the Mackenzie Gas Pipeline Project; on the Canadian Academy of Engineering Energy Pathways Taskforce; on the Council of Canadian Academies Study on Hydrates; and, on the Boards of Directors of the Alberta Chamber of Resources, the Alberta Energy Research Institute, the Canadian Energy Research Institute, and the Alberta Ingenuity Centre for In Situ Energy. ”

“research associate at Cornell University and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy.”

These professors are merely knowledge testers and gatherers and regurgitators. They provide all this information back to our government. The government in turn, gets the bigger picture. Information technology is surely one of the highest forms of power in the world.

The lean here seems to be towards, energy, economy, business, sustainability (always a questionable Act) that rings of oil & gas, amongst others and it just so happens to be in Alberta.

The question here should not be what credentials are being demonstrated, but the real lack of truly important credentials = any and all the ones that have to do with social issues. Are they any Dr. David Suzuki’s on the list? Since this blog leans more towards green & science & technology, let’s just go there.

No.

Cracked open, these students are most likely in for a future of believing that oil & gas are sustainable or in the worst case scenario, understand that in order to play the money and power game, they will regurgitate what their leaders are saying, and the best demonstration or acting skills always win.

This blogger understands that transition from forms of fuel that are truly not environmentally friendly or friendly to our health is not easily accomplished, but it is very possible. This type of undue policy influence perpetuates a future of oil & gas, when we all know there are solutions, that many Canadians in fact have created/designed, exist.

The atmosphere that has been created, with our Federal Government cancelling the Oceans Management program a few weeks ago (see here) or kicking out 700 Environment Canada people (who cares what they think if they don’t do as “taught”) and keeping up a pretense that oil, gas & nuclear can somehow be sustained environmentally.

Again, it is very important to understand the real meanings, definitions and the actual laws that have been laid out in the Federal Sustainable Development Act. It is not quite what it seems to be.

And as far as the British tie, if you pay attention to the video, you will here many references to gas, business, economy etc.

This blogger just wanted to point out the possible one-sided influence at the school. Where students are taught. That run the future later. From Alberta.

As for the Military credit, one must consider all the activists, who only want to truly protect the environment and make non-violent civil dissent (which is absolutely necessary to the health of a society). We are being ruled by a bunch of corporate oligarchs in cultural hegemony.

[from Author: I will be at the Green Building Expo. I have signed up for many educational sessions with some amazing speakers, but I think I am most looking forward to the discussion I get to attend with Steve Zornetzer Associate Director for Research – NASA HQ! Please connect with me via Twitter & perhaps we will see eachother there! Profile: TheVillageGreen]

Greenbuild’s economic impact on local economy an expected $26 million CAD with 25,000 delegates

TORONTO, Sept. 28, 2011 /CNW/ — The U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) annual conference and expo is making its way to Toronto next week to celebrate “what’s next” in green building. Greenbuild is the world’s largest green building conference and expo and is expected to make an economic impact of $26 million CAD, bringing 25,000 delegates from over 115 countries to the event. A release from the Metro Toronto Convention Centre earlier this week also stated that Greenbuild will generate a positive impact on the local economy of over $58 million from delegate spending.

Toronto was selected by USGBC as the host city for the conference for several reasons, including its growth in the green building movement with nearly 300 building projects registered and seeking LEED certification and 44 green building projects already LEED-certified in the Toronto area.

“Toronto and the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) have been a tremendous force in the recent growth of the green building movement in Canada,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO and Founding Chair, USGBC. “Toronto’s building market has continued to boom and prosper and it’s the perfect backdrop for the 10th anniversary of Greenbuild.”

Held in conjunction with the Canada Green Building Council, Greenbuild promises to inspire and educate with hundreds of educational sessions; dozens of master speakers; one and two day summits focused on green jobs, residential and affordable green building, and the international green building marketplace; more than 1,000 companies showcasing the most innovative green building products and services in the world’s largest expo hall dedicated to green building; and top-notch plenary speakers that include New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, former Prime Minister of Canada Kim Campbell, ABC News political commentator Cokie Roberts, medical anthropologist and physician Dr. Paul Farmer and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The opening plenary event will also feature Grammy award-winning band, Maroon 5.

“It’s appropriate that the first Greenbuild outside of the United States is being held in Canada because it demonstrates the huge impact LEED, and the close partnership between the USGBC and CaGBC, have had on green building in Canada,” said Thomas Mueller, President and CEO, CaGBC. “There is no doubt that Greenbuild will be a game changer for Toronto and for Canada by taking green building to the next level in terms of industry and government recognition and international trade.”

About U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) The U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With a community comprising 79 local affiliates, nearly 16,000 member organizations, and more than 168,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. GDP from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

About Greenbuild The U.S. Green Building Council’s Greenbuild International Conference & Expo convenes the industry’s largest gathering of representatives from all sectors of the green building movement. Three days of extensive educational programming, workshops, a vast exhibition floor and ample networking events provide unrivaled opportunities to learn about the latest technological innovations, explore new products, and exchange ideas with other professionals. Greenbuild is the three time recipient of IMEX Green Meetings Award and the 2011 show will be held on Oct. 4-7, 2011, in Toronto, Canada. This past year’s conference in Chicago, Ill. drew more than 28,000 attendees and featured more than 1,800 exhibit booths. Visit www.greenbuildexpo.org for more information.

Sobeys Inc. launches traceability system to track seafood from ocean to plate

Customers can now trace the journey of their seafood purchases back to the fisherman who caught it, where and how

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Sept. 21, 2011 via /CNW/ – Sobeys Inc. is launching a sustainable seafood traceability system today to provide Canadians with unprecedented visibility into the quality and sustainability of the seafood they eat. Through a partnership with Ecotrust Canada’s Thisfish™ traceability program, customers can now trace a variety of fresh seafood products and frozen Sensations by Compliments seafood right back to the fisherman who caught it, the boat it was caught from, the fishing area where the catch took place and the fishing method used.

“Sobeys Inc. is proud to be the first Canadian grocery retailer to offer an innovative and comprehensive seafood traceability system that focuses on more sustainable sources and allows customers to verify the authenticity and quality of their seafood purchases,” says David Smith, Vice President, Retail Strategy and Sustainability. “It not only provides Canadians with a robust set of information about the source of their seafood, it directly connects them to the fishermen that catch their fish.”

Through the transparency that seafood traceability provides, customers are able to understand where their seafood comes from, make informed decisions about their seafood purchases and be confident in knowing that the products they buy were caught and handled using responsible fishing practices and processes.

Tracking Food From Ocean to Plate

From oceans to dinner plates, traceable seafood products are uniquely coded and tracked from the time they are caught through to their journey to Sobeys Inc. stores to give customers a behind-the-scenes, full-access look into their seafood purchase: its origin, preparation tips and delicious recipes, photos of the boat and crew, the captain’s logbook, as well as information about Sobeys Inc.’s sustainability initiatives. Customers even have the option to send a note directly to the fisherman that caught their fish.

Traceable seafood products are available at Sobeys stores across the country, as well as Thrifty Foods and IGA stores in Western Canada.

The assortment of traceable fresh seafood varies by store based on regional and seasonal availability.

Powered by and in partnership with Ecotrust Canada, customers can trace their fresh seafood by inputting a unique code found on the product packaging on www.thisfish.info. On traceable Sensations by Compliments seafood, customers will find a unique code to input on www.compliments.ca/madewithcare and a QR code to scan using a smartphone.

In addition to its consumer benefits, the fishermen who proudly stand behind their seafood products are encouraged by the opportunities that this traceability system provides and are inspired to take even greater measures to ensure the sustainability of their fishing practices.

“As fishermen, it’s great for my crew and me to realize that somebody around the world is buying our fish, and that they can look at who we are and where we come from,” says Vic Amos, B.C. Fisherman. “Traceability goes back to high quality and sustainability goes back to accountability, so it’s important for me to ensure that I fish sustainably and deliver a high-quality product, too.”

“Sobeys is committed to helping to ensure the long-term viability of seafood and will continue to look for opportunities to provide customers with the information they need to make informed purchase decisions and to further the cause of responsible seafood sourcing,” adds Smith.

Sobeys Inc.’s sustainable seafood traceability system is part of a larger effort the Company is undertaking in actively promoting seafood sustainability. For more information about Sobeys’ Sustainable Seafood Policy, please visit www.sobeyscorporate.com/sustainability.